Try Not To Die
by GaleSynch
Summary: A series of unrelated oneshots with Polympian as the main pairing. Mainly FemPercyxZeus/Hades. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.

**Story Title**: Not Yet.

**Chapter Summery: **_Fem!Percy/Hades_. He watches over her in hopes that she won't be dead so soon. Not yet.

**Genre: **Angst/Tragedy/Romance

**Rating: **M

**A/N: **This came to me on a whim and is also the longest one-shot I've written. If this receives good response, then maybe I'll add other one-shots, making this a series of one but with other pairings or maybe you want the same? After this, should I write a Zeus/Percy or Dionysus/Percy? Or any other pairings? Review&tell me what you think!

~x~

**Try Not To Die:**

**Not Yet**

Just once. Just this one time he'll save her. This gesture means nothing, he has no whatsoever interest in her, he tells himself but some part of him murmurs that he is lying to himself. He ignores it in favor of watching her as she cries out, slipping and nearly tumbles down into the a pit infinitely darker than Hades.

His spirits, his servants, grab her by the forearm and fought to pull her from Kronos' unforgivably cold and hard grasp. But it isn't enough to combat the Titan Lord. And he reaches out, his cold and pale hand grasping hold of her shoulder, shaking her—

"_Wake, daughter of Poseidon_," whispers Hades and by his command, the green-eyed girl closes her eyes and disappears, back to the world of the living. His job here is done, with a wave of his hand, he suppresses the spirits in Tatarus as best as he can before leaving.

For the first time, in Persephone's absence, he doesn't feel lonely or bored or restless. No, he is restless. Waiting, waiting for his preferred brother's daughter to hurry and come to his kingdom, give him a glimpse of the sea he knows is in her eyes—the scenery in his kingdom is too dull and everything is ashen grey and nightmare black.

When Hephaestus traps her and her friend meant for Ares and Aphrodite and invites the gods to come and laugh at them, Hades is the only one not invited. As expected but he has his own way of seeing what happens in the above world.

He watches, eyebrows raised in intrigue. In the boat is two girls, both about twelve years old—Hades only realizes just how small and young his brother's daughter is. One of them is quite obviously Athena's, with those delicate blonde curls, sharp gray eyes and California girl tan. And considering who her companion is now, Hades has to smile at the irony—a child of Athena and a child of Poseidon together? Their parents will be busy gagging.

The other one takes his sole attention, that long black hair, rather fair skin and striking resemblance surprises him—none of Poseidon's children resembles him this greatly; it could only be his daughter, no doubt.

The young Persephone is pulling the screaming blonde into the seat next to her, and for some reason she has to buckle the Athena kid's seatbelt for her as if—oh, no, wait, he can see clearly now, the little mechanical spiders surrounding them though not real is terrifying Athena's gil. Hades smirks evilly, a suitable punishment to children of Athena that made it to the Fields of Punishment—because not all children of the gods are heroes.

Hades surmises that Poseidon's girl must be using her powers, because despite the large waves, the little boat did not capsize, and even seemed to be steered, because not once had it hit the wall—impressive control for someone her age. The daughters of Poseidon and Athena (respectively) clung to each other tightly, screaming the whole way through the wild ride, and Hades actually found himself suppressing a smile of amusement.

The smile tinges with sadness when they exited the tunnel and he saw they were in danger of crashing violently into the gates. Sure, they aren't his demigods, but he finds death in general to be saddening despite his domain presiding over death. He may be the god of the dead, but that doesn't mean he wishes for people to die. Only those that had offended him...like, say, Percy Jackson. He has to admit he wants her before him this instant.

"Unfasten your seatbelt!" Percy's voice, melodic as a siren's, pulls him out of his reverie and he watches as she does so herself. "We're going to have to jump for it," he hears Percy say by way of explanation when the other girl looks at her as if she is crazy.

Athena's girl seems to have decided to stop asking questions, because she does as told and grips Poseidon's girl's hand tightly.

"On my mark," says the daughter of Poseidon and Hades has to chuckle—jumping involves contact with air, she won't make it if she takes charge.

"No, on my mark! Simple physics! Force times the trajectory angle—"

"Fine!" yells Percy, looking almost desperate to escape any talk of physics whatsoever, and Hades finds himself laughing again—by just watching Poseidon's girl he is smiling and laughing, something he hasn't done for a long time and not even Persephone can do anything to make him smile. "On your mark!"

When the daughter of Athena yells her warning, the two girls jump just as their little boat crashes violently into the gateway. On their way down, a satyr, the one that Zeus hated for getting his daughter turned into a tree—Hades is blamed but he doesn't mind and he can't help but notice how young Thalia resembles Percy; and he finds himself catching his breath because Poseidon's girl could easily be replace by Zeus' girl—caught them using one of Hermes' many pairs of flying shoes. The momentum is too much though, and all three kids come crashing down onto the asphalt.

When Percy untangles herself from the other two and stands first. She looks directly at the camera, where the Hephaestus Camera is filming her. Then she turns to where his Iris Message is watching her, hidden in the shadows she couldn't possibly caught him watching her—Poseidon's kids aren't _that bright _but then again she _is_ his first daughter. Hades has expected to be ignored but she smirks at him as if they are sharing a secret.

He blinks, surprised. The eyes staring at him are Poseidon's eyes, but somehow the green looks more vivid on her, he reckons it is because of her pale skin. He wonders if it is because her eyes are wider. They are certainly intriguing. Despite their doe-like wideness, which would usually suggest innocence, Hades can quite clearly see the spark of defiance, the flicker of rebellion in them. If he hasn't already known from the gall she has in sending the gods the head of Medusa and declaring Zeus crazy, then he's known right here, right now, in this very moment that she's trouble's incarnation.

She's going to be just like Hercules, Theseus, Perseus someday, he just knows it. She's going to be like those demigods that has legends and myths written about them. Those that young heroes of the century inspired to become.

"Show's over!" she says to him, not at the camera, making Hades smile again—only later he realizes his smile never did fade—because for once, someone is paying attention the Lord of the Underworld, not the other gods that have their throne on Olympus. "Thank you! Good night!"

The Iris Message fades but the girl's smirk lingers in his mind. And little does he know, his smile haunts her mind, takes her breath away.

(_The quality of life is not_

_determined by the number of breaths you take,_

_but by the number of _

_moments that take your breath away_.)

**HxP**

When she reaches his domain, he is brimming with excitement but he managed to suppress it and only allows a thin smile to shine through. His Furies stare at him, their master oddly, but they abide his orders and fly away to over-see the daughter of Poseidon's progress as she enters his domain.

She weaves seamlessly through the Fields of Asphodels, barely glances at the Fields of Punishment, and is almost at his castle when the damned satyr (Hades is starting to see why Zeus hates this particular satyr) distracts her and nearly pulls her (however accidental it is, it is still unforgivable) into Tatarus. She escapes Tatarus' grasp and once again, makes her way to his castle. And though he is annoyed by the delay he is glad she is here now.

When he hears her speaks for the first time, there deep in his heart existed a soft thrumming at the sound of her voice, and he doesn't mind much that she demands of him things he doesn't have and accuses him, however politely, of starting a war.

That is a last straw to his impatience and turmoil of bitterness—he's waited for her for so long and she doesn't treat him like he wishes her to. And he's snapping at her even before he knows it, yelling and threatening her—"Go on, chose: who will you leave? Because the one left behind will suffer." _Oh but I don't think they'll mind much to die for you_—and only much later when everything is silent, he regrets his harsh words.

But he doesn't keep her there forcefully like he did Persephone, he lets her go.

_(Letting go doesn't mean giving up,_

_but rather accepting that _

_there are things that cannot be.)_

~x~

She is the most surprising demigod of the century. When he releases the girl's mother, she sends him a letter through Hermes Delivery mere days later. The letter itself is short but the meanings is long:

_Dear Uncle Hades,_

_Thankyou for letting my mom go. My friends told me you're ruthless and don't normally let your hostages go. I held a little hope and it blossomed! Whatever it is you're hoping for right now, I hope you get it. I'm saying this because when I first saw you, you looked so sad and wistful. (What were you wishing for?) Don't give up, hope is everywhere._

_Best wishes,_

_Percy Jackson._

**HxP**

There is no contact for a long time. He doesn't dream of her but he wishes so. Its been a long time since he's had such an obsession with someone. First was Persephone then there is fair Maria di Angelo. But he thinks they are both pale in comparison to Poseidon's girl.

The next time hears of her from the whispers of the dead is when she is on another quest. A quest to save young Thalia Grace whom he's wronged one too many times. He is a silent listener as the dead whispers and murmurs about how the sea's daughter escape Circe's Island, sails through the Sea of Monsters, battles her half-monster-brother, and sails back home with the Golden Fleece. She earns Zeus' infinite respect (_affection_) when she revives his precious daughter.

Then after that, chatterings about Poseidon's girl among the dead is silent again. But he has other things to attend to...such as his only living children. He sends Alecto to retrieve them from the Lotus Hotel and sends them to a school where he knows a familiar satyr is. If his children is with Percy Jackson, he can rest knowing that they are safe and that the sea spawn can protect them—it is in Percy's nature to be a hero.

The news reach his ears and he is slightly frustrated with his own daughter. Poseidon's girl nearly died saving her and her brother, yet Bianca spits in the older girl's sacrifice and joins the Hunt? He doesn't understand his own daughter (he'd jump at the chance to be in the same plane as Percy). But he understands his son who is more than infatuated with Poseidon's girl.

A love misled when Nico finds out his sister is dead.

(_It is said that love and hate_

_are not so far away from each other._

_That true hate is just love _

_that has gone bitter or been misplaced._

_And that may very well be true._

_Because like true love…_

_Only that one person can make you feel that way_.)

~x~

Bianca approaches her father and bows respectfully. Hades regards her coldly on the outside and it sends a shiver down her spine, emotions conflicted.

"Father," says Bianca in a voice bearly above a whisper.

"Why?" asks Hades. His daughter frowns in confusion before answering.

"Because Lady Artemis is my patron goddess—"

"No. What I meant is why you rejected Percy's offer to be with her?"

The wording is off but his daughter is smart as Athena's kids, she catches on quickly. "If I accept her offer...then I'll be with Nico and..." _we will fight, our sibling bond broken because of one person who doesn't love us the way we do her _is at the tip of her tongue but she bites it back and says, "I'm just so tired with the role of an older sister. But that doesn't mean I don't love him..."

"Your brother hates Percy now," says Hades after a beat of silence. "can you make amends to that?"

And Bianca smiles for the first time. "I am your daughter after all," she says in good jest. "I can change that."

A fleeting smile is all he offers his daughter but the meaning behind the small gesture is interpreted perfectly by her and she smiles back.

**HxP**

Nico reconciles with Percy and it brings a small ache to Hades when he sees their closeness. His son's willingness to get hurt to save his cousin doesn't surprise him. But the concern and love Poseidon's girl shows his son surprises him and he is drown in bitterness when he realizes that she loves his son back. He is supposed to feel joy and pride for his son like Bianca is but all he feels is the bitter tang of jealousy—his daughter doesn't know of his obsession with Percy Jackson, one they shared but she has let go when she comes to terms that she is dead and could never have a chance.

After the Battle of the Labyrinth is the Second Titan War but taking place in the middle is some of Percy's other dangerous adventures.

He hears of Percy's adventures with Ares' favored girl, of how they fought Phobos and Deimos—idiots those two are—and retrieving Ares' chariot safely. Poseidon's girl is scared that Ares will blast her to bits if she steps into his temple and so leaves, knowing that her job is done. But she doesn't realize that Ares wouldn't harm her despite the history between them because she is favored by far too many powerful gods.

Then there is the problem with Camp's guardian before Thalia, the bronze dragon. Just a day before the most romantic event in Camp. Hades purposely ties his son down in the Underworld so he can't spend time with the girl and goes up into the camp himself. He's assuming a much younger form, older than her by a few years and he's half-hoping she won't recognize him. But she does and she smiles at him, inviting him to seat by her side before the fireworks as if they are old friends. It definitely is the most perfect night for him (he doesn't know how she feels) especially when her lips accidentally brushes his lips as she stumbles on the sand.

Then there is the time his immortal wife goes to work behind his back. Sending Poseidon's girl and his son and Zeus' girl on a quest in the Underworld to retrieve the stolen Keys of Hades and the newly forged Sword of Hades.

Percy and his son gladly helps him, though Zeus' girl is reluctant, she relents on Percy's insistence. They find the thief, manages to secure a Titan as an ally, and offers him his new symbol of power. When Percy hands it to him (their skin brushing one another's) and he feels the power thrumming in the sword, he knows Zeus is going to go ballistic and he sincerely doubts Poseidon cares.

After all she's done for him, he still doesn't help her when she needs him the most.

When his son brings her down to the Underworld to take a dip in the River Styx for more power, he barters with Nico to bring her to him. He keeps her in prison, laughing maliciously as his facade even when tears spring in her eyes at his betrayal and his heart nearly melts at the crystals in her sea-green isles. But his son's love for the girl is more than his love for his own father; he frees her and Hades only catches up to the two demigods after Percy has taken a bath in the Styx.

Much to Hades' dismay, they fight and he loses. He thinks its slightly worth it if she's straddling him like that, the feel of her long smooth legs by his side and above him (he'd prefer_under_ him though). And also, the sword is unnecessary when they're in bed. Though Hades reckons he can enjoy making his son green with envy as he watches Hades takes the girl and makes her moan _his _name not the pale demigod's.

But all he knows is that he will enjoy the moment.

(_It may be the pain that makes them so special,_

_or maybe it's the feelings that follow,_

_but there is one thing to be certain of…_

_When tragedy is inevitable,_

_it's the little things that get us by._

_That's why we live in the present…_

_…Because nothing lasts forever._)

~x~

Later, Hades is too busy throwing a tantrum down in the Underworld to truly realize just how much Percy needs his army of the dead in the war and her mission to defend Olympus at all cost.

Hades keeps Persephone with him—he is scared that she will notice her husband's obsession so he tries spending more time with her and tries to protect her from the horrors of war—and it earns him a package deal of Demeter. If keeping Persephone means Nico and Nico usually equals Percy, then maybe he won't be as cranky.

In the end, no matter how much he tries to keep it hidden, his son knows of his feelings for Percy and it is easily used against him—"She needs you help, _father_, what if something happens to her?"—and it is then that it hits Hades like lightning striking him, jarring him so badly that _he is in love, hopelessly so and he'll do anything for her_.

After the war, up on Olympus where everyone is celebrating the defeats of the Titans, Percy approaches Hades with a hesitant smile, intent on apologizing for the harm she'd caused him during their last encounter in the Underworld.

Somehow, an apology turns into him pinning her under him and feeling her warmth sheathing him. Too bad his son isn't there to watch as she arches her back, craving for more. He hopes the sounds from the party can cover up the noises she makes because the last thing Hades needs now when he's close to perfection is his brothers storming in. But at the same time, the crazy sadistic part of him wants that to happen—for people to watch as he claims her as his, and for the girl's many admirers turn green with envy while her father trembles with protective fury.

As the demigods and gods celebrate their victory, they will also want their hero in the spotlight won't they? Too bad for them because Hades has her all to himself. He's always ignored in favor of his children, his children never receiving any recognition. Well...now he's having the last laugh isn't he? Because the hero's attention that the others crave madly for is only on him.

A young demigod—Will Solace, Percy later tells him his name is—stumbles in on them once and the look on his face is so hilarious Hades laughs till he comes.

Hades and Percy untangles themselves from one another when they realize that they'd spent too much time together and unseen at the same time. To avoid raised eyebrows, the two parted ways with a quick kiss. When she leaves, Hades allows himself to bask in the afterglow of what they'd done. He tries to wipe the stupid grin of his face though when his brothers' approach him, suspicion in their eyes.

**HxP**

Percy doesn't tell her father of their relationship. But when she disappears after a night spent with him, Hades has no choice but to tell Poseidon because his younger brother has already begun to suspect something between the two.

Poseidon is furious but is even more concern when Hades swore he doesn't have Percy with him and doesn't know where she is. The look Zeus bestows him might as well melt him.

For months and months, they worry over Percy and it only slightly eases for them when Jason Grace arrives and things start to unveil. Hera's plan is half-assed and Hades refrains from flaying his younger sister alive for taking Percy away and places her in danger.

Hades has never truly trusted anyone before. But for Percy, he has infinite trust because she is the first half-blood he's fallen in love for and she's also the strongest demigod of her generation so he knows that she'll be safe.

Try not to die, he didn't want to see her there so soon yet.

**HxP**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.

**Story Title**: Heartless

**Chapter Summery: **_Fem!Percy/Male!Thalia_. They say the daughter of Kronos is heartless but the son of Zeus thinks they're wrong because she has a warm, beating heart under his palm.

**Genre: **Angst/Tragedy/Romance

**Rating: **T

**Author's Note:** Yeah, yeah, I know I promised a Zeus/Percy but this came out instead. Sorry. I just thought the chemistry between them would be interesting. Right, more information on my website and how they look like.**Please review, and let me know what you think!**

~x~

**Try Not To Die:**

**Heartless**

Even before he is truly awake, even before she is born, he dreams of her. Of her lonely figure shuffling around and about milling people that doesn't seem to notice her much less care. She looks lonely, that heart-wrenching, frustrated look on her young face as she gazed around, trying to get someone to notice her. And when she fails, she will cast her gaze downwards and usually, the dream ends there where she crumples into sands, fading along with time.

But this time, she turns, her golden eyes, unmistakably on him. Her lips curl into a sardonic sneer and she seems to saying something scathing to him but the dream ends as his vision tunnels.

Falling, _falling_—deeper than he can imagine _and_—the _terror_, the evil he feels emanating from below him—what is—?

_You don't have time_.

And his eyes fly open, an unearthly howl piercing through the night. He is up and shaking his companions wake even though his body is sore from his last battle and his mind clouded in a hazy state. But the moment something very sharp rips apart their shelter's roof, he is wide awake and alert.

_Run_ he yells to his friends and they scramble to their feet at his command. They scramble for whatever belonging they can get their hands on before they depart, the son of Zeus taking up the rear as he fends of a monster with his shield before running after his two blonde companions.

On the run, in danger again, they runs into an unsuspecting ally, a satyr meant to guide them to a safe place for people like them—half-bloods. So they run and run, holding onto a blind hope that there is a haven and a whole family in Camp Half-Blood, waiting for them.

Little innocent Annabeth is the one most eager to get there despite her tiredness and the constant danger surrounding them. Luke is doubtful but he tries to hope because he wants his small family to be safe. Thor Grace is secretly the one most eager; he is tired of this golden-eyed girl haunting him, he wants to see and settle things once and for all.

(_little does he know, their meeting will only _

_take place in many, many _

_bitter_cold_**long**_painful_ years_

_but _

_some things are worth the wait_.)

~x~

Is this what you're trying to tell me, princess?

Don't you think it's a little too late, princess?

Thor is surprise at how clearly his thoughts are despite the many pain eating away at his mind, frying and nearly overloading his nerves with the amount of pain—or maybe that is just his imagination. Even in pain and the dire situation, he can still recall why he calls the golden-eyed girl _princess_ because she looks just like royalty on that golden throne of hers.

He fixes his gaze at the sky, he wants to ask so many questions from _why aren't you helping me_ to _who are you exactly, why are you haunting me_?

Father...girl with gold eyes...are you two even listening to me?

Before his vision tunnels into the void, he wonders dazedly _why are my hands turning into branches_?

**TxP**

He is sure he is dead but strangely, he is able to _hear_ and _feel_ and _think_. But most things aren't pleasant, he hears Luke's bitter words, his harsh promises _I'm going to bring Olympus down for you, Thor, they let you die_. He hears Annabeth's crying and wishes that he is there by their side. He can feel Annabeth's tears and her hands gripping his branches, Luke's painful punches as he takes his frustration out on the closest thing, and an unfamiliar touch.

The last person's touch is softer than Luke's but harsher than Annabeth's. She—he can surmise so much by her voice—doesn't talk about her dreams and promises like Annabeth and Luke do. She talks to him as if he is a real person, not a tree. She rants and rages at times after a particualr vicious encounter in Camp and he often wonders who has her irked so?

She's coming towards him again, to visit him but she isn't alone this time. He can feel Annabeth's presence and hear Luke's voice. He tenses, expecting a fight but Luke murmurs good wishes that sounds so wrong on his lips and Annabeth accepts it with a smile. But the other girl just snorts and turns away, placing her hand on his trunk and murmuring some thing he doesn't understand like _I'm doing this for your father, be grateful son of Zeus_.

Then her touch is gone and she doesn't visit for a long, long time.

(_how can i explain_

_though it pains just like your memory_

_that somewhere in my heart _

_a part of me still aches_?)

~x~

He doesn't know her but he feels offended on her behalf when people starts to whisper about her. Not of her bravery and strength for retrieving Zeus' Master Bolt but of her betrayal and wrath and evil. Just like her father.

The murmurs and whispers about her continues even among the lips of those that tend to him—when he is ailing, his leaves turning a sickly shade of yellow and branches drooping and the poison running through his roots effecting everyone and everything. He wants to rage on her behalf but he doesn't even have the strength to hear anymore and the numbness eating away at him—it is worse than anything he's ever faced.

He wants it all to go away, eaten by time and never bothering him again.

But no one grants hims the relief and he thinks it worsen until something heavy smothers the lower branches. Its heavy and is killing him; if he has a voice, if he's still human, he would have cried out in pain from the added pain.

When the son of Zeus awakens again, he murmurs the words strangest dream and when he sees a glint of gold hovering above him in concern, he calls Percy because that is the daughter of Kronos' name...isn't it?

Instead of the sneering pretty face of a princess, he realizes he's just seeing a glint of Annabeth's hair under the sun and he can't help but feel hollow and disappointed because it's stupid to wish to see someone who had never met you. When he's fully awake and alert, Annabeth and Chrion greets him, slowly filling him up with what had happened ever since he was out of commission.

The question is always at the tip of his tongue but he holds back the _how is Percy doing now_ and instead asks, _how are you doing now_? And when Annabeth answers him with a slight tint to her cheeks, he can't help but feel guilty at being concerned over some other girl.

The first time he meets the golden-eyed girl in battle is when they are on a quest to save Artemis, and Annabeth and perhaps catch a glimpse of Percy. She's standing by a blonde man side, who Thor later realizes is Luke, his old friend turned enemy.

Kronos' girl regards him coldly with a tinge of curiosity in her eyes before she draws her sword and charges at him. Thor registers Zöe's enraged yells of how _only a heartless one will be able to wield the sword Anaklumos and bring misery to all _but Percy merely smirks.

Their swords meet in mid-air, sparks fly and Thor can't keep the grin off his face when he's so damned close to her. He thinks it's slightly worth it when he has to retreat to bear the weight of the sky and free Artemis because he's manage to surprise her. He quite likes the way her golden eyes will widen when she's surprise and he so wishes to see them again.

**TxP**

The golden-eyed girl has a very pretty voice, possessing an allure to them not unlike the sirens. Thor learns this when he hears her in a full-scale battle, giving unfaltering orders to her troop before she advances on him, chooses him as her target because she acknowledges him as the biggest threat.

Their previous armistice is gone as they swords clash in mid-air like they had so many times before, in dreams, in reality, in their imaginations.

Silhouetted against the shadows, Thor thinks she's the most beautiful girl on the planet—nevermind the fact that his friends and family cower at the sight of her.

The son of Zeus is slightly sad when she leaves, forced to retreat with her army, unable to withstand the powers of the great god Pan.

Why does he interfere when this is of no concern to him?

(_I want, I want, I want _

_to laugh with you_

_I just want you, _

_to notice what I do_

_And this, and that, _

_I slowly gave it up_

_I'm seeing that my landscape _

_is getting blurry_)

~x~

Thor really doesn't know Percy outside of the battlefield so he sits at the campfire and subtly asks for more about her. No one suspects anything because they all believe in the _know your enemy so you can beat them mantra_. Thor thinks it's ridiculous but when it's giving him information he wanted, he isn't going to complain.

A part of him points out that he's only asking because he wants to know, not because he needed to. He's beguiling himself, deluding his vision but he doesn't care much about the many warnings his father and Annabeth are giving him.

Thor learns a few things about her. She likes the color blue and gold, her favorite dish is seafood, and she likes laughing when people's suffering or being idiots. They say she sounds mean but he thinks she sounds like someone who can make people laugh easily. He doesn't voice this out, of course. Because people will know then that he is obsessed and apparently, he's crazy.

**TxP**

The defeat is to be expected. Zeus is too much of a stubborn fool to listen to his brilliant daughter's strategy. And when Thor's brought up before Kronos and his titans, sitting in the throne that was once his father's, the thing that shocks him most is that Percy is among the titans.

She's regarding him coldly again, the same as when they had first met.

Thor is the only thing left standing in their way when the gods had fallen in Typhon's hand so he is expecting to be cast into Tatarus along with his brethren. But much to his—pleasant though he can't admit this—surprise, Percy raises her hand and volunteers to take him under her wing.

Kronos sorts of frown at his daughter before waving them off, the council dismissed as the Titans left to reinstate their position in the world. Thor blinks, suddenly finding himself alone with Percy. He doesn't back away when she's suddenly so close to him.

"I noticed that you've been watching me every time we met."

Thor stands his ground and smirks wryly, attempting to spite her. "Sweetheart, you're my enemy. Do you think I'll be letting you out of my sight?"

"You're no longer my enemy," she says, her breath ghosting above his lips. Thor is never one to miss an opportunity his tongue darts out to lick his lips, conveniently (as if anyone will believe that) grazing her lips. Much to his surprise, she crashes their lips together and he's suddenly overwhelmed by the taste of sweet blackberry. "You're mine now, my slave."

(_You'd always see me _

_giving up in all my selfishness_

_I'm hurt by all that I believed _

_but nevertheless_

_I'm seeing that I've grown _

_and that I'm someone different now_

_But wait... _

_Please tell me that I'm not too late_.)

And when his hand slides down to her left chest, he can feel her heart beating faintly under his palm. They say the daughter of Kronos is heartless but the son of Zeus thinks they're wrong because she has a warm, beating heart under his palm. And she certainly is not heartless, not when she still has a heart to give.

And he has her heart now hasn't he.

**TxP**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.

**Story Title**: Curiosity.

**Chapter Summery: **Titan ruling era. Ever since she could remember, Percy had been told that the gods were evil for trying to destroy the Titans. She'd always believed them but she still couldn't help but wonder. A school trip to Mount Orthys where Zeus' prison is answers quite a few things.

**Pairings:** Zeus/Percy.

**Genre: **Tragedy /Romance.

**Rating: **T

**Author's Note:** Finally, the Zeus/Percy you've been waiting for (am I right?). And on another note, this story is where I'll post all my one shot works now. If any of the characters seem OOC, please note that this is AU and the gods may appear to be even cruel than in canon. **Please review, and let me know what you think!**

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~x~

**Try Not To Die:**

**Curiosity**

She is always wondering, imagining of a world where the gods ruled. As far as Percy Jackson is concern, they are evil, vile and cruel. The gods tried to upsurp the Titans—including her father Oceanus—before and had almost succeeded. They would if they'd managed to free Zeus, the king of all gods. Fortunately, Percy has been there and she's stopped him from escaping.

Even to this day, his roar of rage still send a thrill of fear down her spine.

She keeps dreaming after that brief encounter, the nightmare repeating itself. Of Zeus' imprisonment, his pain and humiliation and anger, she felt it all. And it set her on edge.

Percy Jackson has always been an empathetic person so it isn't a surprise to Annabeth, a daughter of the wise Titaness Metis herself, when her best friend voices this thought to her and is sympathetic of the gods now.

Annabeth Chase barely refrains from rolling her eyes, having gotten used to this. "So?" she raises an eyebrow. "What do you propose to do? How do you want to understand them better?"

Percy rolls her eyes and clasps her best bud's shoulder. "Why," she drawls lazily. "This is what you're here for, my friend."

Annabeth has expected as much.

~x~

"Sweet! Annabeth, I couldn't believe you!"

The daughter of Metis laughs slightly at the sight of her friend jumping around like a hyper-active monkey. "Get ready, we'll be leaving soon!"

Percy drops out of the sky, gaping at her friend in horror. "And you tell me now?"

"Do you want to visit Zeus' prison or not?"

"We're actually allowed to see him in person?"

"Under the guise that Lord Kronos sent us, yes."

"The guards will believe us?"

"Lord Atlas is quite fond of us, after we helped him out the other day."

"Right...I nearly forgot about that."

"You have six minutes and thirty three seconds left."

"I'm going!"

Annabeth watches her best friend goes, glowing with excitement and she can't help but feel a flicker of worry. This curiosity of her friend will get her killed someday.

**ZxP**

Percy can't help it. She stares, with no self-consciousness to speak of, at Zeus' youthful features. Instead of the old and vile face she's been anticipating, she's been greeted with the sight of the most beautiful creature walking Gaia.

Black bangs with the dark undertones of blue, green and purple, messy and wavy and thick, fall around the god's alabaster face. Eyes the epitome of the storming sky reflects Zeus' anger and hate and bitterness towards her and the Titans.

For her part, Percy Jackson kneels to take a closer look at the prisoner of Atlas.

Zeus raises his abnormal eyes, gazing into her sea-green ones. The hatred, directed at her, nearly makes Percy recoil in shock and fear. She feels as if her mind is boiling the moment she gazes into those fiery orbs.

She blinks, gasping when she finds herself suddenly jerked backwards. She turns to see Annabeth, the blonde's eyes the same grey of Zeus but somehow lack his spark. Annabeth frowns at her, concern etched onto her features before she releases her friend. "Don't look at him, the Olympians have the ability to twist one's mind."

"Talk about terrifying," the daughter of Oceanus remarks dryly, waving her friend off. "Thanks for the advice. I'll be more careful next time."

The blonde shoots her a look _I'll be watching you_ before she leaves to check out the other exhibits on Mount Orthys. When her friend is gone, Percy leans on the weight of the sky and she hears Zeus grunts at the added weight.

Now, Percy Jackson is a very kind and thoughtful girl. But when it come to her enemies, she is merciless—she doesn't remove her weight from Zeus' burden, instead, she leans even more heavily on it.

"Girl." Percy never imagined a word like _girl_ can be uttered with so much venom—as if it is the vilest word in the world. "Get lost." The words are spoken with absolute command but there's Zeus mistake: she is no minion of his and she's stubborn as the unmovable sea. She doesn't comply, smirking and making sure Zeus can hear it through her snort.

"Dream on."

"Yes," Zeus agrees venomously, his voice slightly muffled under the sky. "I would dream of your death. Bathed in blood."

"You want to see me bathing?" Percy's laughter ring out clear and melodic. Her eyes twinkle for an unknown reason. "Have fun trying." She leaves, jogging after her friend, leaving Zeus spluttering.

~x~

"Why," the god of lightning spits out. "are you always bothering me?" he grunts at the end, the effort to add more venom into his words. He shifts ever so slightly under the weight of the sky and tries not to show any pain before Oceanus' daughter.

"I'm just curious," the girl replies. Her sea-green eyes are genuine and sparkles with curiosity, their eyes meet but not too long because she knows now what he can do by just eye contact. "My name's Percy, in case you didn't know."

"I don't care."

"I know."

He bites back the scathing retort because he knows that she's goading him. She looks mildly disappointed, but amused, that he didn't rise to her bait.

"So... why are you so intent on the Titans downfall?"

Zeus scowls at her bluntness. Why would she care and why did she want to know? Is she hoping he'll slip and give her information? Of course not. He wouldn't.

"Fine, don't answer me. Hmph." She crosses her arms and pouts slightly. "...who do you hate most?"

Zeus is thinking, even if it is just to distract himself from the pain caused by the burden on his shoulders. Kronos is the first one that comes to mind, followed by Atlas who is the one that trapped him under here. He lists them and he sees the girl's eyebrows raised.

"I"m not included?" she mocks a look of hurt, reminding him for a moment of his brother Poseidon. "That's too bad. I thought you hated me for bugging you."

She leaves after that, rambling a one-sided conversation until her friend calls for her. She actually leaves with a polite and cheery good-bye and a promise to come again soon. When she leaves and the pain comes back with nothing to distract him, he is surprised to find that he isn't at all annoyed with her presence. If anything, she keeps the pain away.

**ZxP**

The daughter of Oceanus is pleased when Zeus starts responding to her endless—to the prisoner anyway—inquiries. Even if they are nothing but scathing or demeaning remarks. At least he is talking and she is relieving his pain somewhat.

And she still doesn't know why she is helping him. The enemy.

And there's this strange little tingling feeling when, sometimes and very rarely, Zeus' lips will pull up into a small almost imperceptible at something sarcastic Percy had said. He never showed his gratitude but it is enough to see that he is at least okay with her presence and he doesn't chase her away as much anymore.

But there's this one conversation that had touched a minefield.

"Your wife's Hera right?" And of course, Percy is always the one who breached the subject or changed the topic. "How is she like?"

Zeus takes an uncharacteristic long pause before he answers. "Selfish, spiteful, vain." Then he smirks at Percy. "But she's a thousand times prettier than you."

That sets Percy off. She doesn't know why when Zeus compliments Hera, she feels irritated; jealousy sowing its seeds. Normally, she can just brush off any and every insult Zeus throws at her and in comparison to other taunts, this is very mild. But this is the greatest offense to her.

She jerks to her feet, throwing a scathing glare down though she knows Zeus can't see it, and storms off, grumbling curses under her breath.

She leaves with a sharp turn around the corner, leaving a very baffled and confused Zeus.

~x~

She left. The king of the gods stares in disbelief at the spot where she's last been. She left sooner than usual—which is in a few more hours. She's given him more time alone to himself and he should be grateful but he feels empty and—once he never would've said it but time under sky has shown him humility and he is just so damn alone that—he's lonely.

Her presence this past few weeks has shown him that he actually craves her presence when she's gone. That he misses her personality, her giving nature, her kindness, her honor. Intelligence that let her capture Zeus' interest in long conversations. Perception to see when something is bothering him, or when he is slightly pleased or had taken in interest in something. A kind and generous spirit that is forgiving of others and is always ready to defend those precious to her. A playful sense of humor that never fails to make Zeus' cold and void heart warm with bubbly laughter.

Curiosity eats at his frayed mind, urging him to find out what is giving her those traits. When he posts this question—startling her badly because he rarely speaks out first—to her the next time she swings by, cooled down somewhat from their last conversation, she stares at him as if he's grown many heads.

Then she shrugs and says, "I don't know. I'm always like this."

If no one's making her so...so Percy-like, then it's okay. He wishes that she's always like this.

**ZxP**

Over the time, Percy starts to wonder what is wrong with her. The curiosity that has her visiting Zeus in the first place is slowly starting to spiral into many different emotions and feelings. Curiosity can't make her dwell on how handsome it was when Zeus smirks at something she's said. It didn't make her want to rush across the room to soothe the pain with a kiss when the sky was being especially heavy. Pandora's curse of curiosity didn't make her give the sharp side of her tongue to a junior demi-titan who'd made a snide remark about Zeus' imprisonment. They didn't make her want to stare into the pair of storm grey eyes and lose herself in the way they brewed with a tornado of emotions.

Curiosity simply couldn't create that.

Then what is it? What drives her to know more about himself and not the past where he once ruled and why he and his brethren are so evil—the latter the reason she's even come here in the first place until it changed to the former.

So she diverts the conversation to his brethren's nature. She learns thing she doesn't want to know but that is the price one pay when they indulge in curiosity.

She learns that his brethren is cruel, vile and vain. Spiteful and selfish as he had described his wife. She expects that he is like them even though he doesn't reveal much about himself, always driving the conversation away from his true nature. And in time she learns that he doesn't want her to know.

But that's okay.

One day, Annabeth comes to her, a frown on her pretty features, and settles herself before Percy. She scrutinizes her before she speaks. "Satisfied your curiosity now?"

The daughter of Oceanus tilts her head to the side, contemplating. "No. I just want to know one more thing."

"Make it quick then," Annabeth says, her eyes lowering to the battle plans she held in her hand. "A war is coming and the Titans aren't pleased to know that their champion is fraternizing with the leader of the enemy."

"Hey," Percy says, mustering a smile at the best friend. "It's just curiosity. I told you so before, right?"

The daughter of Metis doesn't seem to believe her statement but she trusts in her friend so she says, "Yes. I trust you to know what to do."

The one thing she still wants to know from Zeus is this: how his lips feel like.

His lips are soft and chapped, but she doesn't mind much. His parting lips are his show of surprise and shock at her action but she takes advantage of this and her tongue dives in his, exploring his cavern. He tastes mildly of blood and the bitter-sour tang of rain and pine smoke. Not entirely pleasant but not so unpleasant either.

She pulls back when he actually starts to respond to the impromptu kiss, smiling softly, then she turns and leaves.

Her curiosity simmered down, the pang in her chest widening but she ignores it this time. She doesn't want to fall into curiosity's trap like Pandora did once.

She'll try not to die by curiosity's temptation.

~x~

Zeus isn't easily surprised but what that mortal girl did thrown him for a loop. When she does that, he feels light-weighted—a feeling he hadn't experienced for centuries and had nearly forgotten how it feels like. That kiss brings it all back. And it actually makes him respond.

He feels saddened at the loss of a companion because he knows that the kiss—the most pleasant thing from the daughter of Oceanus—is meant as a parting good-bye before their emotions can spiral out of control. Best to nip the bud of the problem before things go bad.

He is slightly grateful that she does pull back because he always has been less controlled, he's glad that she's given him a chance to retreat before he—before both of them—did something they'll regret later.

He doesn't know whether or not the short but sweet bond he shares with Percy is love because it had been just too damn long since he's felt the love of another to his being.

It definitely isn't curiosity though.

**ZxP**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.

**Story Title:** Ten Days.

**Chapter Summery: **"Percy Jackson will be executed in approximately ten days."—For ten days she will be visited to ensure her imprisonment. For ten days, he will fall steadily in love.

**Pairings:** Hermes/Percy.

**Genre: **Tragedy/Romance.

**Rating: **T

**Author's Note:** 1/ This is AU – Percy is older and more bitter here. I chose to write this pairing instead of Apollo/Percy because there's too little Hermes/Percy – haven't found any but one on my part anyway.

2/ Since people has been demanding that I make spin-offs for chapters, the next chapter might be the prequel to this one. Or a sequel but it's definitely going to be Apollo/Percy.

3/ _For Male!Percy_, which goddess do you want to see him with? **Please review, and let me know what you think!**

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~x~

**Try Not To Die:**

**Ten Days**

"Percy Jackson will be executed in ten days."

Zeus' voice booms and bounces around the throne room but no one dares to say anything against his statement. Hermes does see, Poseidon's face crumpling at the mention of his daughter's imminent death. But it is a price she must pay for her betrayal. They had barely won the 2nd Titan war, she is a survivor and she's killed Thalia Grace, the Hero of Olympus and Zeus' favorite daughter. It is no wonder he's so damn angry is so intent on her death.

He's staring with sympathy at Poseidon and he plans on going to comfort him when Hera suddenly cuts in with her opinion. Hermes is certain they can all live without it but he wisely does not voices this out.

"I don't trust her not to escape, she is...as slippery as an eel that lurks in the depths of water after all—how like someone." Hera's voice is cold and cruel as she states this, uncaring of how much she is hurting her brother. Poseidon's shoulders tense but he remains silent and allows her to continue by not blasting her with his trident. Hera smirks coldly and turns, unmistakably, to Hermes and said god feels dread washing over his immortal being. "Hermes, I now task you with the job of watching over her."

His jaw drops but he is quick to regain his wits. "But—"

"Wonderful," Hera says, not allowing her step-son a chance to say anything—most likely celebrating his pain. "I believe this meeting is adjourned, right, dear?"

Zeus shoots her scathing look but he nods and disappears along with Hera. Poseidon slinks away silently, sadly. Few gods remain long enough to pat Hermes on the back and wish him luck.

Jerk, jerk, jerk. All of them jerks, what about the saying family should stick together?

He seethes silently as he teleports himself to the Underworld where Percy is held at for his first day of work.

~x~

The traitorous daughter of Poseidon lifts her head lazily when the skeleton guards leave to be replaced by another. Hearing his stiff dismissal, she refrains from smirking. It is not hard to tell that he hates having to guard her and she silently vows to herself that her last act against the gods is to spite him and make his life guarding her living hell.

She waits silently, watching as the figure glides gracefully into her cell and her resolve wavers a little when she realizes that her new guard is an Olympian. She snorts, did the Olympians fear her so much? To send one of them to guard her.

Hearing her snort, the god of thieves stiffened. And this fact she doesn't fail to notice, she sneers, "Aw, is an Olympian scared of a little laugh? I'm not laughing at you if you're worried about that. Though it is rather stupid-looking of you to just stand there and stare at me. I know I'm pretty, but you're making me feel oh so self-conscious."

From the way his fist clenches, she can tell she's getting to him.

She smirks loftily. "If you can't stand me on the first day, within only a few minutes, you're better off having someone else in charge. Because, honestly, I don't think you can handle me."

Suddenly, she finds herself pinned on the ground. She is only momentarily surprised because the next moment, she's already drawling a retort to the aggressive notion. "Manhandling? Not much of a gentleman are you, now?"

"Shut up," the god of messenger growls. "I will watch over you for ten days and I'm not backing out."

"Is that a challenge?" the daughter of Poseidon sneers again. "Because I don't think you can handle it."

"No," his voice is quiet but in the silence of the cell, he might as well be shouting with how his voice rebounds off the rock walls. "It's a promise." And he gets off her, leaving her on the cold and damp ground.

She smirks. "Heh." Maybe her last days isn't going to be full of boring things after all. She has something to entertain herself at last.

**HxP**

The second day he is to guard her hasn't even started and he already feels like retreating back to Olympus. It had been out of sheer outrage that had him lashing out at her and making that promise and he's totally regretting it now.

He drags himself to her cell, dismisses the guards and enters the damp and dark place. He glowers at the pale girl—off complexion for a child of the sea and under the sun—and settles himself on a chair, ignoring her and flips George and Martha (in phone form) out to check the messages.

He ignores her, but naturally, she doesn't. She's made a promise to make him suffer after all, didn't she?

Percy studies his being, trying to find something that she can use against him, to taunt him. then she recalls of a boy: Luke, his son.

"So," she drawls with a purpose, propping herself up on her elbows. Hermes ignores her but his ears prick to hear what the siren voiced girl has to say. "How's Luke doing?"

The god of thieves nearly crushes the phone in his hand; he turns and shoots her a venomous look, silently imploring her to shut up. Percy sees this but she doesn't care much at all. She sneaks a glance and notices the look of utter anguish the moment she mentions Luke and her heart actually clenches in pity. She knows how it feels like to lose a son too after all.

"Are you sad that he's dead?" the daughter of Poseidon makes sure that her voice is soft and flat, lacking the oozing sarcasm and taunts at the tip of her tongue. When Hermes doesn't answer, she repeats the question.

"...Yes." Hermes finally manages to answer through the thickness of his throat, the emotion choking him and the pain comes back full force—knowing Luke is just in the same domain but he is forbidden to enter. "Why do _you_ care? You led him to his death." Saying it out loud, seeing her head jerk in affirmation, brings back full force of the hatred he has for this girl. Luke followed her, trusted her with his life and she actually just stands by and watch as he dies.

"I didn't lead him to his death," she says flatly, not at all offended at the accusation. "And I care because I know how it feels like to lose a son."

The Olympian stiffens at that, shocked because he's sure there's no little boy running around. Percy glances at him again and elaborates, answering the unspoken question. "I had abortion. I was scared..."

"Who's the father?"

There's that cold, cruel and detached smile again—as if she isn't completely there. "Why don't you ask your good friend?"

"I have many good friends."

"Apollo."

The sheer hate, venom and anguish in the teen's voice has Hermes recoiling, he certainly has not heard of this from his friend before. "I was young, thirteen and things got out of hand one night. He left me, as expected."

So basically, the whole reason why she went to Kronos' side in the first place was because of Apollo? Poseidon was going to flay Apollo alive for this.

He stares at her, long and hard but she's already weakened. She rolls to her side and closes her eyes, asleep. He stares at her until his shift is over and he leaves. He hesitates at the door, turning back to see that Percy's turn to her other side now, facing him and he sees the track of tears.

Maybe Poseidon won't be flaying someone alive alone.

~x~

Everyone has a story. It's just not yours to tell their story.

Hermes wants to say this to the Nine Muses, singing at the celebration of Kronos' defeat. His fist clenches as they sung about the traitorous daughter of Poseidon, weaving a tale—no. All they're singing is her evil deeds, the lies about her intents and her reason.

His eyes trail to Apollo, trying to see any signs of remorse. He knows of his best friend's attitude with women of course, tried his best to ignore it but when it comes to Percy...

When he confronts his friend about what Percy has told him, he makes sure Poseidon is in hearing range. Apollo can't lie, being the god of truths and all.

Hermes pretends he can't hear as the sea god sent the sun god flying.

Percy, will you rest in peace now?

**HxP**

The next day which is the third day, Percy's weak and crying mask is already replaced by the old villain mask—which makes him wonder whether or not the events the day before is merely that, an act to gain sympathy or maybe a chance to escape. Knowing one of her deepest secrets now, he sees that the perfectly crafted mask is actually fake and the edges are frayed by her real, suffering being underneath.

He is silent as she taunts him, as if trying to make up for slipping up and being weak yesterday. He ignores her because he knows she needs the time and someone to rant at.

~x~

He swings by the fourth day, silently wondering what he has to deal with today. He is instead, greeted with the sight of Percy lying on her stomach, deathly still. He wants to check up on her but he fears that this is a trick.

Years of being tricked and fooled has taught him to be cautious.

He approaches her as silently and carefully as possible. He reaches out a hand and lays it on the girl's burning skin—she's having a fever. Damn. He rolls her over so that now she's lying on her back but she cries out in pain, her back arching to curved that Hermes thinks it's going to snap.

He pushes her down again and she squirms against him.

"What's wrong?" the god of messenger yells, shaking her hard.

"My back hurts from the wounds you idiot," the daughter of Poseidon snarls. "Don't aggravate it!"

"I'll get you...Apollo—"

"No!" she screams. "Just—if you want to help me—get me some water, pour it on the wound and I'll heal."

He snaps his fingers and a bottle of sea water appears in his hand. He uncaps it as quickly as possible and pours the liquid on her back. He watches her as the water cools her hot skin and she relaxes considerably, closing her eyes and slumbering peacefully once more.

Only when he settles himself down did he realize that healing his prisoner is not in the job description. What had compelled him to do so then? Was it pity?

Yes, Hermes tells himself as he leaves the cell. Yes, it is.

~x~

The fifth day pases by without much drama. Except for the fact that she's punch the skeletons' lights out and that Hermes has to chase after her before she escapes the Underworld. He succeeds which earns him a lot of cursing and splutters from the prisoner.

He actually thinks she's quite cute with her cheeks flush when she's angry.

And when Hades taunts her for her failed attempt, her nose twitches cutely too.

Watching over her isn't that bad.

He recounts this thought when she breaks his nose—which is kneading itself back together already—on her fifth attempt at escaping.

~x~

On the sixth day, she's bored already and demands him to tell her more about what's going on in the upper world.

He does at the price of her telling him more about herself.

She frowns at him but she's so bored, she complies.

By the end of the day, they both learn a lot.

~x~

The seventh and eighth days come and goes by. By then the two have already settled themselves into a routine of arguing, talking and ignoring one another.

He knows when she wants or doesn't want to talk. When he realizes that he knows her so well now that he only needs to read her face not hear her voice, he tries not to be too surprised at how well he knows her now.

She knows him almost as well as Apollo.

Almost.

Or...is it the other way around? He can barely remember.

~x~

It's the ninth day, the last day of his shift and he as a parting good-bye, he offers her a chance to write letters to whoever she wants. She smiles, fleetingly, as she accepts the papers and pen. She turns away from him and starts scribbling something down.

He stands rooted to the same spot because this is the first time Percy has ever smile at him.

When he manages to regain his wits, he thinks of how foolish Apollo is for leaving her in the first place because he certainly won't. He'd be the one pestering her until she agrees to marry him.

He doesn't know how long he's been staring at her but suddenly, she stands and turns to him, shoving him a stack of written papers. He puts them in the pack and just as he's about to leave, she sees him to the door, still smiling.

He is unnerved because she might be planning something.

He must be an easy person to read or she knows him very well because she laughs, reaching up and pecking him on the lips before she pushes him out of the door—as if he's merely a guest and not a guard or an enemy.

"Don't send the letters until I die okay?"

Dazed, stunned, he nods and stumbles off, her laughter still clear in his mind.

**HxP**

It's the tenth day, the day Percy is to die. He doesn't attend where it's being held, the Underworld even though he's been formally invited. He's sent all the letter except for the last one, the recipient's name isn't written and he wonders did Percy forget this.

He has a feeling that it's for him though so he cuts it open and pulls out the letter. He stares, stunned, at the short sentence: _For ten days he will visit her, for ten days she will steadily fall in love_.

The moment the sun sets, he knows she's gone because the tingling sensation is gone now, the fluttery feeling of his heart when Percy's near is gone, signaling her death.

He summons a pen and starts writing even though he knows that he can't send it to her now and she'll never read it ever, he writes down his reply:

For ten days, she will be visited and for ten days, he will fall steadily in love.

Ten days is all they need.

**HxP**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.

**Story Title**: Different Love

**Chapter Summery: No Olympians or anything of the sort AU, **He wasn't real, yet, he couldn't help but fall in love.

**Pairing:** Apollo x Fem!Percy - rather one-sided though.

**Genre: **Angst/Tragedy/Romance

**Rating: **T

**Author's Note:** Not the spin-off of the last chapter but another complete AU, hope ya ain't too disappointed - I know it's kinda crappy and weird and hard to understand. Anyway, Apollo is the only character not human, well, this is inspired a Dating Sim Game, a trailer dedicated to it anyway. **Please review, and let me know what you think!**

* * *

~x~

**Try Not To Die:**

**Different Love**

Apollo remembers her very clearly: how her sea-green eyes sparkle under the sun that is his source of life, and how her spine arches unnaturally every time she stretches as she wakes and slides out of the covers. He knows this because she always leaves her computer running, even at night as if somehow, she can sense him in there.

Apollo, a mere game character to her, a hero in a game she's currently addicted to.

He knows, he knows very well that soon, once she beats the game, she'll move on and forget about him, the hero of the story. And she won't feel remorse as she slowly forgets about this game.

After all, how can one miss a video character?

Percy Jackson won't be missing Apollo as he misses her. He wonders, as well at the times where she stops playing and puts the game on pause as she leaves to deal with her real life—her reality, not his illusions which is also his reality. Sometimes (which is the every time Percy isn't there, over the screen that is the wall dividing reality and illusion) he wonders what she does when she isn't playing a computer game.

Surely, she ate and slept and played and had fun with her friends.

All of them real, like her.

Not an illusion like him.

An illusion that can have his own thoughts, mind not programmed in his character. Apollo wonders what he truly is, is he some sort of bug in the game? Will they eliminate him? He hopes not, at least until he sees Percy's smile as she beats the game.

She's always frowning in confusion when she's facing traps and mazes, groaning in boss fights, and moaning as she's delayed in her mission. He tries to help and he always offer encouragements, all cheery and bright as his personality in the game is programmed to be—a goofy, comic relief that rarely takes anything seriously and is always playful no matter the situation. He's glad for such programming because Percy actually smiles and laughs at some of the predetermined lines he's been programmed to say.

He's just sorry that he can't tell her what he truly feels; he hates—absolutely _hates_detests_abhors_—the screen dividing them. But in the end, he has to accept the fact that he's just a two-dimensional man and no matter how strong his feelings are, he can never tell her.

In the end, what he wants to tell her is that, "I'm glad I met you, even if our meeting is like this."

**First Love**

He first falls in love with her when she smiles, smiling and grinning after she defeats the first boss in the game, and he hears her saying, "Thank Apollo, if it wasn't for him, man I'd still be stuck there! He's my favorite character!" and he smiles because to him, it is a compliment.

From then, it's just him and her, for a while anyway before the party swells and grows with other characters joining in. Thoughtless and truly emotionless characters, unlike him who has gain a conscious.

He wonders is that what love does to you, give you thoughts even if you're just an illusion, just a drawing with a bunch of script at the tip of his tongue.

But what are the use of thoughts if one can't act on it?

Apollo takes that horrible thought back once he realizes that without thought, he might have never experienced falling in love with Percy. And it is even worse to be a mindless character programmed, it is something he has no wish to be and for the nth time, he thanks Percy's existence in this illusion life of his.

**Hopeless Love**

Apollo doesn't know whether he hates the creator of this game he's in—Zeus Grace is the man's name, he guesses—or he should thank him.

The last boss in the game is particularly tough, and Apollo actually feels himself hurting as blows rain down on him. He can only retaliate in turn, one turn per character as is the game's battle system instead of some free-for-all.

One positive thing: Percy spends more time with him, unable to end the game without defeating the boss.

One negative thing: She's starting to get bored, irked and irritated. He's heard her mentioning to a blonde friend of hers, Annabeth, asking her to introduce her a new game since she's getting tired of this impossible game.

There's another thing impossible: his hopeless love.

All he can do is dream, dream that he's actually real and that he can actually spend some time with Percy in the real world instead of this gaming reality. He wants to leave the screen but in the end he's just still a two-dimensional guy, he can never touch her no matter how strongly he feels.

She's getting bored—and no matter how much he longs for her, it all ends when she's bored—and when she pushes another disk into the disk drive for another game, she starts to forget about him.

He's supposes he isn't that surprise. As little as he knows about the games and reality, everything has an ending.

Even games has their own ending—one way or another.

**Forgotten Love**

She may not hear it, never believe him even if she does hears this but he says it anyway. Even when he knows it's just a hopeless love and that everything's an illusion.

**Curious Love**

"Percy," calls Annabeth, her eyebrows high in her hairline in astonishment. She shows her bafflement openly as her best friend turns to face her. "Who's your secret admirer?"

Now it's Percy's turn to furrow her eyebrows in puzzlement. "What do you mean?" she asks as she gets off the bed and walks towards her friend at the computer table, sidestepping all her stray items she's randomly thrown around—she isn't exactly a tidy person; that's what Annabeth's good for when she visits her apartment.

On her computer screen, words plain and simple, "You may forget me eventually, but please at least, just remember that I'm grateful you've loved me once."

"I didn't know you were in a relationship, once!" exclaims Annabeth, earnestly surprised.

"I'm not," insists Percy, backing up and in doing so, her hand brushes a disk to the ground. She sighs as she kneels and picks it up, noting that its the game _Apollo & the Olympians: The Last Olympian. _"Maybe it's just a prank by some hacker."

Percy hands the disk to Annabeth, shrugging and saying, "You want to play it? I can't beat it."

Annabeth arches a brow, accepting the disk, her eyes flicking down to study the blonde haired blue eyes hero for a moment before she places the disk into her bag. "What a curious love you have," she remarks casually.

**End**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.

**Story Title:** Father

**Chapter Summery: **She knows that the letters she writes will never reach the man but that doesn't mean she will stop trying.

**Pairing(s):** Luke/FemPercy - mentions.

**Genre: **Angst/Tragedy/Family

**Warnings: **AU, events in canon happens differently, just the time events take place is different.

**Rating: **T

**A/N: **I have a new website that needs help editing - just a summary - anyone willing to help out there? Review and tell me what you think of this chap.

If you expect a lot of Lercy action, please don't be too disappointed as this is not romance based, this was written to explore more of Percy's thoughts of her father, Poseidon.

Actually, I was planning on starting a new story for just this - if people vote for sequels and other companion pieces then maybe.

**Leave a review and tell me what you think!**

* * *

**/**

**Father**

**/**

Dear Father,

I do not know what you're thinking now and I most likely never will but still, it would be nice if you can reply to this letter. Did you know, I reached Camp today. I wonder if you're watching me as Chiron says you are. Somehow, I doubt him. But if you're watching me, ever read this letter, then I want you to know that you have a half-blood daughter.

And the fact that you've cursed her with the fate of a hero. She thinks she can do without that but as you have never shown your face to her and her mother ever since she's conceived, she supposes that you don't want to see her at all. So she decides that, after many years of wondering and missing, she doesn't want to see you again, ever.

Still, this is a nice place to rant my heart out. Because so many things happen this past few days.

Mom's gone—I hope you're happy because you didn't even lend a single hand to help. I resent you even more for abandoning her and leaving us with Smelly Gabe all those years—but I doubt you care. Secret, don't tell anyone but I'm planning on going to the Underworld to bring her back.

I also met Annabeth Chase, daughter Athena. Aside from her, I also met a nice guy. His name is Luke, son of Hermes; he's sorta good-looking I guess but there's this ugly scar on his cheek that ruins his good looks.

He's cute, albeit annoying and he steals stuff for me too, which is the nicest thing someone at camp has ever done for me.

Wait. I did not just say he's cute. You read wrong.

I should pen-off now but, oh, I think I'm forgetting something important here: I killed the Minotaur, something Big Brother Theseus has done before right? So I guess it's no biggie.

_(Did you think I did good?)_

Okay you can ignore that last line.

Yours truly, Percy.

**/**

Dear Dad-who-is-still-unresponsive-as-ever,

I'm currently on a quest to clear your good name. Good to know you at least know of my existence to claim me but that's just because you need me to do your dirty work, right? Oh don't worry, I'm not troubled at all.

Truth time: The only reason I'm out here, suffering the night away with my friends after killing your ex-girlfriend, is because I want to retrieve Mom. Remember her? Sally Jackson, sweetest lady ever that you ruined?

Are you worried? Have you ever bother thinking of how competent my friends are in aiding my quest?

Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway. There's Annabeth Chase, as it turned out, she's the daughter of your rival, huh. Did you know how I know that you and Lady Athena are rivals? Annabeth didn't tell me; Instead, I look it up to know more about you but if you want me to stop, then that's okay, I will. Annabeth's mean to me sometimes but she's okay I guess, just gotta get those superior complexes out of the way and she's good best friend material. Actually, Luke wanted to accompany me but he let Annabeth go instead because she's been dying to see the outside world for years now.

He's a good guy, the son of Hermes. I wonder if he likes Annabeth to have her way? Ooh, bad thoughts, they make my heart cramp.

Grover Underwood, a satyr who Lord Zeus considers a failure for letting his daughter die, but I think he's good. He's scared but he still wants to help me brave dangers for you and mom. That's noble, not stupid, just in case you're thinking of the latter. Oh, what else is there to say?

I thought that once I knew who you were, and had a way of contacting you, I would knock on your door with a baseball bat. But as it stands, I can't. Beating up the god of the sea isn't actually look up on, quit the contrary actually.

Luke says he sympathizes with my situation. Huh, with how easy-going he is, never would've thought he hates Hermes as much as I do you. Is Hermes that bad? He can't be worse than you.

Sincerely, Percy.

**/**

Dear Dad,

Okay, since you've saved my life and send a Nereid to give me pearls that are supposed to get me out of trouble whenever I crush it at my feet, I may not be that wrong when I think that you care about me. Even if a little and have many ulterior motives for keeping me alive so far.

Did you want the glory with me being a hero, Dad? Well, if so, I'll try my best to not disappoint.

Letter's getting shorter and shorter, I don't know why either but I hope the day never comes when it's time I stop writing. Because when I stop these letters mean that I've lost faith in you.

Signed, Percy.

**/**

Dear Dad,

After the last letter, things went crazy but it all worked out well in the end, huh? I saved Mom and retrieved the lost items and cleared your name. I should feel happy about that, that things work out well in the end and me and my friends are not dead. But, against my wishes, the best of all was that we finally met.

Maybe to you its nothing, but to me, seeing my dad for the first time was... I can't describe the feeling well, just that there's this sort of fuzzy warm feeling and that you're proud of what I did. Oh, your last message was very vague too, hope that someday you can elaborate more on that "you are a true child of the sea" thingy.

And, yes, I'm rather obtuse to some things, if you're wondering.

But something's still bothering me: the last line of the Prophecy the Oracle gave me. I have a feeling that the prophecy issued before the quest is not over yet. A friend will be tray me; I just know it, I dread it. I wonder who. I doubt Annabeth and Grover will betray me after all we've been through together. Well... Ares had pretended to be my friend, so maybe him?

Yeah, right, I can't help but snort at my own thought. I don't get that lucky. Chances were Luke, but he actually got teary-eyed—or maybe it was just the trick of light—when he saw us return safely. Gah, I should enjoy summer but I can't help worrying over this.

Anyways, summer's over, I'm forced to chose between staying and training or leaving and going to school. Once, I wouldn't have hesitated—anything beats staying with Smelly Gabe but thanks to you, he's gone and we're finally getting some cash—but there's still my Mom to consider.

Finally, after much torment, I had chosen to go live with Mom. I don't know what you'll think about this decision of mine but whatever I do, I'll try my best to not disappoint you.

Oh, Dad, in case you haven't notice; yes, I write a letter in a few days' span, one event this day and the other event on another day. It's the only way I can think of writing long letters. Hope you don't mind but before I pen-off, there's something I have to tell you:

Turns out, Luke's the traitorous friend too. He showed his true colors by nearly killing me and cursing the gods.

So much for tears huh.

Sincerely, Percy

**/**

Dear sperm-donor-of-mine,

So... you notice the change of salutation, huh? Well, I couldn't help myself, after a year of no contact; I don't think I'm close enough to you to call you _Dad_ again so soon but maybe in later letters (?). I didn't write about my school year because I thought you wouldn't like anything as boring as school days and works and the fights I get into and how wonderfully I escaped from flunking.

I was kicked out in the end though.

And Tyson. Fine, I was angry that you claimed him so soon while you waited for so long before you claimed me. And you helped him whenever he called for you; so, yes, like Annabeth says, I am kind of jealous. But it's over now. I must admit I thought him as a burden and you're just purposely trying to humiliate me at first, but then on the quest, I realized that you send him to find me so that we can help out one another.

For that I am grateful even though chances were, you never intended for us to meet and be of help to one another.

We saved Camp, by helping Clarisse (one of my rivals at Camp), and not taking the credit. The fight for the Golden Fleece was a long one and it involved your daughter (little me) and your immortal Cyclopes son (Polyphemus, I think is his name). I hope you're not too mad that I got rid of him for you. He says he's your favorite and I'm curious to know whether or not this claim of his is true or not.

We revived my cousin, Thalia, daughter of Zeus. Are you pissed or are you proud? I hope it's not the former.

We fought Luke to get it back, he forced me to fight him and I'm ashamed to say that I'm quite terrified of him and I lost. I curse myself for thinking that he is still handsome and that his voice is sexy.

...

...

I really need to go swimming to clear my muddled mind.

Sincerely, Percy.

**/**

Dear Sire of mine,

Hades is the only brother faithful to the oath, you know, unlike you Dad and Uncle Zeus. Nevertheless, I still feel guilty about Uncle Hades' daughter's death. I wish that she's now happy and safe in her father's domain. I wonder do father and daughter blame me for what happened to Bianca.

I'm sure Lady Artemis already told you of what happened earlier before she was kidnapped: we were trying to retrieve two demigods for the upcoming war, but alas, we lost Annabeth and Bianca joined the Hunt and Thalia got mad at me. Wow, talk about terrible.

Things did not get better when I was outvoted to go on a quest and Lady Artemis was captured and that Zoe chick antagonizing me and Thalia. But in the end, I supposed Zoe was only trying to look out for us in her own strange-harsh way, huh. You should see her, she's a constellation above your throne now.

Things were hectic so only now was I able to tell you things.

I went to the Labyrinth like Brother Theseus did, and I got out safely—after getting rid of Minos, convincing Nico and Daedalus and jumping off, like, six-hundred above ground—only to get involve in an attack on Camp. I'm not hurt that badly if you're wondering.

(_have you ever cared, dad?_)

We met again, huh, but you don't seem to think much about it even though we haven't seen one another in years. Thalia seemed to have problem facing her own dad too and I'm glad we both share the same problems. But Uncle Zeus showed his concern, you didn't, you're so hard to read, Dad. I wish you could be more unguarded around me.

If you don't mind, can you tell me what went through your mind when Lady Artemis offered me immortality and I rejected her? Did you think it's funny? Or are you angry? Or you just don't know how to feel at all? Did you care?

(_that seems to be the most important_)

I spent my Christmas in the Underworld that; fortunately, Uncle Hades did not invite me to eat turkey or devour cake there, in fact, he kicked me out after I'd done him a favor. The favor, by the way, was making him a new symbol of power. Hehe, hope you're not fuming too much.

I was reluctant too, at first but my friend, the son of Hades, Nico wanted to help his dad. And since Thalia and I couldn't possibly let our cousin wander off alone to the Fields of Punishment (and we have daddy-complex anyway), we followed, trumped Melinoe, a demigod and a Titan.

If we train Iapetus (or, by his new name I'd bestowed upon him, Bob) well, he could be of use in war. Bet Luke didn't see that one coming, hah!

(_but he's a vessel for the Titan now, he's never coming back, is he? I miss him, I think, almost as much as Annabeth_.)

Wow, looking back on it, this letter is long. Did you think I'm naggy, and don't like long letters? I'll try sending you a short one in the next letter.

Percy, out.

**/**

_**Dear Dad,**_

_**I did say in my last letter that the next letter would be short, right? I hope you're not too offended to think I have little time for you.**_

_**I could've written a letter twice the length of the last one with the amount of blood pooling from me—but all I want you to know is that I hope you're proud of me.**_

_**Don't hurt Luke, Dad, it's not his fault. It was mine for falling in love with him.**_

_**Love, Percy Jackson.**_

**/**

_Dear "Father",_

_First things first, I'm not your daughter, but you may know me from the letters your daughter wrote to you. I never meant to kill her, I feel guilty. She's a hero, your girl, but I'm not. I never expected to live and yet... here I am, alive and healthy and everything seems so bright for me while your daughter who fought for this never got the chance to experience this._

_But I'll never find anyone to settle down with, because, yes, you figured it out too whereas she failed to do so: I loved her too._

_Sincerely, from you-know-who._

**End**

* * *

**A/N:** Guess who's the one who wrote the last part.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus or anything you recognize.

**Story Title**: Months

**Chapter Summery: **AU,

**Pairings:** Hades/Percy.

**Genre: **Tragedy/Romance.

**Rating: **T

**Author's Note:** 1/ I was planning on making the pairing Thanatos/Percy in the first place, but since many supported Hades/Percy more, no more Thanatos.

2/ I'm having Writer's Block for my PJO stories, but I try. To make up for the lack of updates for my other PJO stories, I typed this out, posted it here where all my ideas are crammed into one-shots. It would be nice if people would write multi-chap stories based off one of my one-shots, and if you do, do tell me first, because I really want to read it!

3/ **Please review, and let me know what you think!**

* * *

~x~

**Try Not To Die:**

**Months**

* * *

**First Month**

He doesn't bother to hide his approach, his footsteps echo and bounce of the pristine, sterile walls. Night has fallen, it is the time where Morpheus and Hypnos rule. This does not bother, nor does it concern Hades so he proceeds to walk, his every stride confident and swift, one goal in mind.

Melinoe's minions are causing trouble left and right, in this grungy hospital. There are the old here, and some rather mild cases, but have been so terrified, possessed and had their souls stolen by Melinoe's wayward minions. They are causing him unnecessary trouble, taking the souls of people not meant to die.

Today, Melinoe is nowhere to be found; predictably, she has fled and hid when she senses her father's anger and her minions are wise enough to follow, just that some of them are fools and they are going to feel Hades' wrath, when he's done with _them_—

"Achoo!"

The lord of the Underworld turns. He sees a young girl, with wide green eyes—because of the poor lighting, he has a hard time discerning the shade—and pallid skin. She smiles slightly but then when she squints to get a better look, her mouth drops open in horror. Her mouth's open with a gasp, and her eyes wide with horror. She gapes at him, a finger pointing accusingly at him, "Ghost!" she shrieks, jumping back.

He blinks, out of all the monikers he's received, this is by far the shortest one and the most insulting—and it also sounds like something his goofy younger brother Poseidon would've said. "Excuse _me_?"

"You're one of them," says the girl accusingly, trying to look intimidating but failing. Which is perfectly excusable as she's barely into her teens, and is very short while he towers above her with the intimidating height of six foot four. "Those things that take away those nice old people's souls."

Interesting; so she's one of the clear-sighted mortals. No surprise she's here as a patient then, clear-sighted mortals tend to be victims of unfortunate fates. Not that it has ever mattered to him.

"And," drawls Hades slowly. "what are you doing out of bed, little girl, isn't it past your bed time?"

"Help!" the girl screams shrilly as she makes to flee. "Demon, monster—urmph!"

Hades would never admit it, but those adjectives used to describe him stings. His brethren has called him a fair share of those and it had been those unprecedented rumors that have him shunned. He scowls down at the squirming girl in his arms, for an ailing one, she sure does have a lot of energy, sort of like the never-ending motions of the sea—

Wait, why is he thinking so much of his brother now? He glances down and under the artificial light, now that he's closer, he sees the resemblance: the dark hair and same sea-green eyes (shape, color and lashes), the high cheekbones and strong jaw, the good looks only belonging to a child of Poseidon. His nose is suddenly filled with scent of the ocean and the hospital is not so dull anymore.

"Daughter of Poseidon," he rasps, watching as she stills, deeming to look up at him with wide eyes.

Instead of some awe or terror filled remark, the daughter of Poseidon shrieks even louder than before, certainly rousing many patients and workers already.

"Hades! Lord of the Underworld! Help! He's gonna kill us all!" With surprising strength, she flees, taking off down the hallway, still screaming.

_If she keeps that up_, thinks Hades wryly as a smirk crawls onto his face, _the doctors will place her in the mental ward_.

**Second Month**

She is amusing, her antics would really land her in the mental ward these days. But no one, not even the hospital staff, admonishes her. Her memory's slipping and she barely have a year left to live—if the deadline's even in a year, he thinks that it has to be less with how easily she tires after an activity.

Hades only knows that she's soon to have an appointment with him is because he's just checking her chart, in broad daylight. He's already claimed himself as her paternal uncle (which allows him to be seen close to her without being interrogated by nosy mortals), and even those of the hospital staff that are clear-sighted will be wise enough to steer clear of a deity, especially him.

He also learns of another thing: her name, Proserpina "Percy" Jackson and though she looks small, she is actually fifteen. Huh, he wouldn't have thought; she looks small and frail and childish enough to be a twelve-year-old.

When something soft but packs enough force to make him stumble a little ways forward, he whirls around, eyes narrowed and Greek curses ready to be thrown at his foolish assailant.

It turns out to be the daughter of Poseidon who's glaring at him with a great amount of ferocity. She's clutching a dolphin plush in one hand (isn't she a little too old for that?) and and brandishing a pillow like a sword. He sighs, picking the other pillow she's thrown and placing it on one of the sterile beds.

"Will you stop it, little _girl_?" Hades carefully places edge in the last word, like _little girl_ is the worst insult that can be given. She bristles, obviously, taking it as an insult. Her mood changes are going to be bad for her mental evaluation; she's smiling and laughing moments ago but not it is simmering anger. He wonders what he's done to earn her ire, as he studies her skinny and obviously failing—

Oh. So that's why. "I'm not going to take you away to the Underworld so soon yet, brat, so stop throwing things at me."

"Really." She's still wary and her eyes are accusing him of murder. He supposes that, considering his domain, it isn't too far off the mark, but it's insulting that she's thinking he is some sort of deity who goes around and reap souls whenever he likes. He's not like that, and he doesn't choose a specific target either, it's either genocide or nothing at all.

"Why would I want to kill you?"

"Dad warned me about you and the guy upstairs," says Proserpina—despite Hades' many grievances against the girl's father, he has to admit that his brother has good taste in names or is the name given to her by her mother?—as she looks meaningfully at the sky that rumbles in response, lightning flashing before it is swallowed by the clouds again.

"You're going to die anyway, with or without my help," remarks Hades off-handedly, snorting, not knowing that it's practically killing the daughter of Poseidon to hear.

"Really?"

He glances up with a start; slightly startled by the sheer, raw hurt and hopelessness. She looks at him with great disappointment and barely concealed pain. Then she turns and disappears down the hallway.

Hades is left wondering what he's said that's so wrong.

**Third Month**

It takes quite a while of puzzling but he finally realizes why she's so devastated by the news. He's asked Thanatos, and his left-hand man had said that the operation she's going to undertake is going to be a complete failure and she's going to die one way or another.

Poseidon's girl has placed her hopes, dreams and delusions into that operation; knowing that it's going to be a complete failure and a waste of money is surely devastating.

He should've kept his mouth shut. He also should've learned his lesson when he had these moments with his foot in his mouth, which had resulted with a month on the couch instead of sleeping in luxury beside his wife. The one month probation is still on.

He doesn't know why but maybe it's because he's feeling lazy, or sorry, or in the mood to sympathize, Hades finds himself at the hospital again. But Proserpina is not in her room, and he doesn't feel like wandering around the huge place until he finds her, so he settles himself down in a chair and waits; he flips through a few of her novels and to his interest, notes that they are all written by a Sally Jackson about one _Proserpine Jackson & the Olympians_.

There's no denying it; Proserpina is Poseidon's daughter, this Sally is aware of this and the things the mortal woman writes in her books are all about her own daughter and the things, heroic adventures she might've done had she not been cursed of this completely unknown and incurable illness. Hades can list, and knows of all ways to kill someone or to get someone killed, including illness, but this is a completely unfounded one.

The mortal doctors are baffled by this, but after some researching, Hades finds out why: she's been cursed by a deity. Hades' betting his right arm that it's Amphitrite's, or Zeus' doing. And maybe even Apollo's, to his amusement, he's managed to gather that she's rejected the god of the sun once. That must've been a huge blow to his ego, there will be little wonder as to why he's so damned pissed to curse the girl out of spite.

The door creaks open, revealing a puffy-eyed Proserpina Jackson; she glowers at him spitefully. "So you're back again," she remarks scathingly. "Came to tell me, _I told you so_, I suppose."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a high chance the operation's going to fall-through."

Hades winces; it's not a high chance, it's a definite downfall. "Oh," he says to fill the silence engulfing them both. When she glares spitefully at him, her eyes strangely bright and watery, he stands, sensing that she's about to cry but doesn't want anyone or any god to intrude on her moment of weakness.

He passes her on his way out of the door, and due to nostalgic remembrance of a much younger, not yet king of the seas, crybaby Poseidon, he places a hand on her head out of comfort; she flinches but she does not push him away.

"Don't lose hope, there's always a fighting chance."

Only when he's back in the dark, hopeless, homeless, angry Underworld that Hades realizes that the words he's spoken are the exact words Hestia has told Poseidon when he's crying over the prospect of being trapped in their father's belly forever.

**Fourth Month**

This time, when he visits (and he still doesn't know why he continues to do so when the Underworld demands a whole lot of work from him), he is not greeted by a scream or a glare or any other negative expression for the matter. This time, he's greeted by a hug.

He stumbles, tenses because it has been so long since he's had any physical contact with anyone other than his wife that he does not know how to react. The moniker _Social Idiot_ is not so wrongly applied during times like these.

He wonders what's making her so happy; is she on drugs or something? She's weird, unpredictable and just the way Hades likes it. Unpredictable makes things challenging and what Hades likes best is challenges, even if they come in the form of a dying, cursed child of the sea.

"What's the occasion?"

Proserpina looks up and smiles, which makes her eyes glow and every bitter things wilt away. "I can go out now, finally, my stay in the hospital is over! Thank you so much!"

That last statement snaps Hades out of his stupor. "What for?"

Her smile never falters, still so trusting, beautiful and sweet. "For sending them to me." At his confused look, she smiles like she finds it amusing that he's forgotten or is trying to deny something and elaborates. "Those... ghouls I think is what you call them..."

Hades blinks, drowning out the rest of her words. As the lord of the dead, he knows damn well how Melinoe's minions do their work and recruit more of their person to strengthen their mistress. They will approach a dying person, make them well enough till they can live like a normal person, but it is merely a temporary state. Once the effect is over, the person will crumble down instantly, life force withing away and then the ghouls would come and whisper in the dying man's ear of dreams, hope and the bright future, till he succumbs to their offer and when the person succumbs to the ghouls, there's no saving them.

Even Hades can do nothing to those poor souls which ended up the way they did, unwilling to pass on and yet is unable to stay in this world, forever stuck in the border for both attachments.

"You have to stop," says Hades sternly, gently pushing her away and making sure she looks him in the eyes. She does so but she is frowning in displeasure now. "Stop taking on whatever they give you. Don't do it, listen to me."

Now, Proserpina looks hurt. "Why are you telling me to stop when you send them to me in the first place?" she inquires, confused and very much hurt, Hades also senses the underlying anger, ready to explode.

"I did not. I never wanted them to—"

She pushes away from him completely, obviously mistaking his intentions. "You are such a liar, Hades, I thought you wanted to help me! I thought that, someone was finally doing something to help me!" she stamps her foot so hard the earth shakes. Hades' eyes widen in disbelief; she has the power to cause an earthquake?

"Leave!" There's hurt and many other underlying emotions he cannot discern in the moment.

"Fine, don't listen to me, you'll regret this." He waves his hand in the air, making a cutting motion and the next thing he sees is the unwelcoming visage of the Underworld.

Heavy disappointment curls and settles in his stomach. This is going downward, a serious replaying of the incident with Maria di Angelo. His fists curled, his blunt nails cutting into his palm but don't bleed; why, when, how did Percy get to close to his heart without him knowing it?

Those months consisting of days on end where he'll be there, annoying her with his mere presence, enraging her with belittling remarks, and occasionally, the sweet smile when something he says is particularly amusing.

Hades firmly tells himself that he no longer cares. If she wants to self-destruct, then so be it.

**Fifth Month**

She's lively as ever, if not, more so ever since she's left the hospital and still associating herself with Melinoe's minions, putting herself on the divine world equivalent of mortal drugs. She's already becoming addict and Hades knows that Proserpina can't go on without at least three feeds from those things.

Naturally, Sally, her mother knows but the mortal woman does not know the consequences of relying on Melinoe's minions. The mortal woman is undoubtedly Proserpina's most precious person and if anyone has the chance of convincing her, it's the woman.

Sally's currently offering her a bone-weary but hesitant smile. "Is there something I can help you with... sir?"

"Your daughter's going to die," says Hades flatly, point blank and bluntly, not bothering to beat around the bush. "if she keeps up what she's doing."

Sally gasps. "Lord Hades..." she swallows audibly through her suddenly dry throat. "Did my daughter did something to offend you?" she whispers harshly.

Hades, at the moment, can list a hundred times where the lady's daughter has royally offended him. But one look at those desperate blue hues, all he can say is, "You'll lose her if you don't do something."

"Why do you care so much? You won't lose anything..."

And when he leaves, Sally blinks at his back, belatedly realizing that the Lord of the Dead hasn't bother correcting her at all.

**xXx**

Hades is greeted by his wife, Persephone's deadly glower when he returns to the Underworld. Persephone is deathly beautiful, and would be even more beautiful is she's on the surface, and not with him in the Underworld. She regards him coldly, darkly veiled green eyes calculating and her dark hair falls in perfect ringlets behind her.

He knows a confrontation is about to come.

"You don't spend as much time with me anymore, who's dominating your mind, husband?"

Hades stares at Persephone, with her supposedly gentle and nature-wise domain, no one has ever suspected the goddess of spring as bitter or cold or cunning. But Hades has witness firsthand of his wife's true persona. This time, instead of the Queen of the Underworld, he sees the Princess of the Sea; he sees a different, more vibrant shade of green, sees darker hair and kinder face and an even sweeter smile, a more scathing and colder face.

A face that's going to be dead soon.

He stops as the image jars him: dull, no longer bright green eyes, glassy and blank, cold and skin of white. Soul lost, blood pooling.

"Proserpina..." He closes his eyes. "For now."

**Sixth Month**

It has to be Proserpina but Hades has a hard time believing. Proserpina's eyes, even at their most despairing and hopeless moment, are not as empty. This creature's eyes are the same as Proserpina's eyes, also possesses her face, but everything's empty.

She's so lifeless, so different from the girl he sees almost everyday since sixth months ago.

"Proserpina..." he whispers, a strangled and despaired whisper.

The ghoul smiles at him, a mockery of their first meeting, minus the screaming (the one who feels like screaming now is Hades, how has he let things come to this? He should've been trying harder!).

"You know," muses the daughter of Poseidon, contemplating and peaceful as she gazes out at the night sky, so bereft of hope. "In another place, another time, I would've been a hero. I wouldn't be stuck here." She meets his dark gaze with her equally hopeless orbs. "But that's okay, in that world, you hated me and I don't want that. I never got to tell you before because we always end things with an argument, but I really want to live to see you visit me again, or maybe I want to be in the world you live in."

Her smile is sad, her eyes knowing, as she says, "But we were always worlds apart, weren't we." She reaches out to touch him and just as he's about to take her hand, she flickers.

Her smile falters, and her image flickers once more, and is gone, off to roam the world and slowly lose herself as she devours and terrifies soul after soul who has the same unfortunate fate as she does.

But...

.

.

.

_"Hey, you, why do you always look like that?"_

_"Ha. I was born like this."_

_"I know, but I'm dying and I can still smile! Why can't you?!"_

_"..."_

_"Fine. I give up. I know I'm bugging you but, you better not just up and leave! That'd be a cowards way to run things, just because you want to— Damn it, I'm rambling! All I want to say is that—no, all I want to see is—_

_"...Proserpina."_

_"...Oh..."_

_"What's with that reaction? You said you wanted to see my smile."_

_"That smile is pure evil, totally on the creepy-scale level."_

_"Oh, I see."_

_"No! I mean, it's um, beautiful. Yeah, just like you always were!"_

_"Wha...?"_

.

.

.

_Hey, when I feel my heart racing and those mushy crap that makes me want to puke rainbows when this person is near, is it called love?_

_Yes, be sure to guard it carefully or you'll lose it._

_I won't lose it. I know I won't._

.

.

.

_Someday, I'll forget everything; can you please help me remember myself?_

.

.

.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Crappy ending, I know- or maybe I don't. What do you think? Review!


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